Ash-sifting device



. F. H. LEHMAN ASH SIFTING DEVICE Fild Sept. 21

1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H HIWIHHHHI' HHIIM May 26, 1925. 1,539,123 I F.'H. LEHMAN ASH SiFTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 21, 1921 Z SheetS-Sheet 2 I Indenzo central1y'di'sposed hoodlihe ca Patented May 26, 1925.

v UNITED STATES Parser-or FRANK n. LEHMAN, on LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA. V

As a-strainer Device.

Application filed Septemberm, 1921. Serial No. 502,161.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be 117 known that lyFnann iacltizen of the United States, residing 1n the Clty' of Lebanon, county of Lebanon, and State of Pennsylvania, have lnvented oer tttlll'IlQW and useful Improvements in Ash- Sifting Devices, of which the follow ng is a specificat on.

The present invention relates to improve ments in ash siftlngdevlces, and more especially to those adapted to ice-used in the, household for slftlng ashes drawn from stoves and furnaces; and the invention has for its principal object the production of a cheap, improved, novelfand dnstless sifter of this kind designed to render availaijile for employment in cooperative rehition'ship, a ash can of the conventional cylindricaltype, a lid therefor, and acommon pail.

Another object of theinvention is the employment in an ash sift-er of mean devices and mechanism adapted for sifting ashes on a novel'principle, involving the deposition and retention of the ashes on a di. like sitting element while'the latter is being rotated in a plane at a sufficient inclination to enable the ashes to run downwardly thereon.

Another object of the invention the use 1 of novel means for causing the continuous deposition of the ashes on the s ting element and preventing the escape thereof otherwise than through said elen'ie'nt or through a restricted space adjacent the peripheral edge thereof. 7 v

.Another object of the invention the pro vision of'novel meansfor detachabiy mount.- ing a common pail for rotation in a partially inverted position above the sifting eieinent whereby the latter inay extend over the mouth ofthe pail in the manner of a closure, so that rotation of the pail may cause ashes cmitained therein to descendupon the elementand be sifted thereby.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means for incur and tachably clampingthe pail for rotat cn in such partiallyinv'erted position and inoperative relation to said sifting el' min.

,Another object of the. invention is. the

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of an ash canlid of novel .desi 1 .1 .41 .ng the pan rative relationship to said thereon, as a housing for HIGH. in such rotary ope ing element. Anotherobject of the invention is to pro H. LnnMaN,

the nature of which will and insertion of the pail within the casingj' of. the lid in a vertical manner, and will enableithe'same to be completely mounted and i looked in thecasingwhile heingsupported' position. 3

With the above and other-objects inview,

therein in a substantially vertical upright as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construct-ion, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part'of the application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

" Figure 1 isa central vertical sectional View ofan embodiment of my invention, showing the pail mounted in operative position within the lid of the ash can.

Figure 2'is asimilar View showing the turned back and'supported in open position on theedge of the can with the sifting ele- 'ment thrown upwardly to its extreme positionon the lid.

Figure 3 is a View of the lid, partly in section showing the same as removed from the ash can with the in the body of the hoo v V 1 Figure 4 is a View ofthe sifting element, the arm carrying the same, and the locking link, shown'as detached from the lids Figure 5 isa face view'of the friction member .employed 'for imparting rotation to the pail; and Figures (5 and T modified forms of the sifting element.

The novel principle of sifting and separating ashes on which the present invention is leased, may be broadly considered as involving the employment of the follow more fully appear sifting element lying with? lid are views of wardly over the upper face thereof; and second, a substantially cylindrical ash containing and feeding member superimposed upon the sifting element and mounted for rotation thereover on an axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the element, said member having at its lower end an open mouth adapted to be directly applied to the face of the element, and the element being of suflicient extent to cover the mouth of the member in the manner of a closure. It will be apparent that by rotation of an ash containing member and sifting element thus formed and disposed, ashes contained within the member will be caused to descend downwardly upon the element and will tend to crowd against the lower portion of the face thereof, where through further rotation, the accumulated mass will be thoroughly agitated and all particles thereof brought rapidly into moving contact with the element, whereby the ash will be thoroughly separated and sifted, the finer consumed portions thereof dropping out and escaping through the openings in the element, and the larger, unconsumed portions being salvaged and retained in the containing member. I have found that by this mode of operation, a sifting element of relatively small surface area may bevery efficiently employed, and therefore in the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated and described, I avail myself of this principle of sifting ashes for bringing into use, as an ash containing member adapted to function in connection with such sifting elc-- ment, an article of general household use, viz; a common pail.

The invention additionally contemplates the employment of suitable means for operatively mounting and rotating the sifting element and ash containingmember' in the desired inclined position, said means in the instant embodiment comprising an ash can lid of suitable form, carrying clamping means for detachably locking the pail in rotary operative position therein, and an ash can whereon the lid is adapted to be sup ported in such a manner that the sifting agencies may lie immediately beneath the lid and directly over the mouth of the can, whereby the escape of ash dust may be effectually prevented and the apparatus thus rendered practically dustless-in operation.

In the drawings the numeral 9 indicates the ash can which is of the conventional type in general use, 10 indicates the lid for covering the can, and 11 indicates the pail which as shown, is of the common type having the usual bail, 12, for carrying the same. The lid 10 has a depending peripheral flange 13 for receiving the mouth of the can, and is provided with a flat peripheral body portion 14: adjacentthe flange which is adapted to lie over and closely engage the edge of troduced therein in such manner as to 00- cuuy a partially inverted inclined position when the lid reposes over the can. It is contemplated to removably mount the, pail for rotary movement in such inclined position within the lid and at the same time lock the rotary sifting element which is in dicated by the numeral 16 over the mouth thereof, the means employed to this end be ing preferably formed and disposed so as to act in the manner of a clamp, having members, one of which is the sifting element itself, for engaging and supporting the opposite ends of the pail.

Said means for mounting the bail include a short shaft 17 journaled in one side of the hood as in a bracket 18, carrying at its inner end a disk like friction block 19, of suitable diameter to be snugly received into the recess or depression 20, commonly formed at the lower end of the-pail by the extension of the side walls customarily referred to as the chime. Said friction blockis secured to the shaft in a simple manner, as by means of a pin 21, so that it may be rotated thereby, and the front face ofthe block is preferably made flat in order that it may frictionally contact an extended surface of the bottom of the pail to the end of enabling the rotary motion of the shaft to be thus imparted to the pail. As shown, the opposite end of the s aft is extended outwardly through suitable perforation in the wall of the hood and is externally provided with a crank 42, whereby it may be rotated.

On the side of the lid opposite the shaft is hingedly secured as by means of a perforated hinge member 22 attached to the wall of the hood, and a pin 23, an arm 24 adapt-- ed to swing in a vertical plane coinciding with the axis of the shaft, and on the side of said arm facing the shaft is mounted the sifting element 16. Preferably said element is made as shown of perforated sheet material in the form of a disk, although, as will be understood, the same may likewise be made of foraminous or reticulated material. Said element is mounted on the arm 24; for rotation about its centre by means of a reinforcing spider 25, having a central hub 26, through which passes a pivot pin 27 secured to the arm. The pin 27 extends toward the shaft 17 and is so disposed on the arm that the sifting element will rotate thereon in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the arm, and the entire arrangement and location of the parts is "such as to enable the sitting element to be swung inwardly andbrought squarely arid centrally over the mouth otthe pail when the latter is placed inthe mounting with its bottom squarely resting on or,

against the friction block 19. Fingers as 28 pro ecting radially outward from pe' riphery of the sifting element, and prefer? ably formed as extensions of the arms 29 of the spider 25, areadapted to engage over the edge of the mouth of the pail, and looking means, as an elongated link 30 pivoted to the free end of an extension 31 of the arm 24: and adapted for detachable engagement with a hook 32, are supplied for det'achably locking the pail in operative position between the friction block and the sifting element, the hook 82 being disposed on the side of the lid wherein the shaft 15 is journaled and being preferably formed asan integral part of the bracket 18. The shaft 17 is made of suliicient'length to have a slight longitudinal play in the bracket 18 and is encircled by a spiral spring 43 interposed between the bracket and the friction block 19, the spring acting in an obvious manner to retain the friction block and the sitting element in close frictional and supporting contact with the bottom and mouth of the pail respectively, while at the same time serving to retain the link 30 in looking engagement with the hook 32.

The sitting element is preferably made of" a diameter slightly lessthan the mouth of the pail so as to be received therein a limited distance, and the fingers 28 are slightly oilset therefrom as at 33, providing shoulders 34: adapted to enter and engage theinner marginal edge of the pail, to afford supporting means therefor. With this arrangement as will be seen, rotary movement may be impartedto the pail throughthe friction block 19, and transn'iitted. to the sifting element through frictional contact:

of the edge of the pailwith the lingers 28, whereby the pail and sitting element are adapted to be rotated in unison.

As previously stated, it is. essential that the sitting element be arranged to rotate in a plane at a suilicient inclination to enable ashes to run downwardly thereon, and that the pail be likewise disposed at an inclination to secure the proper feeding and agitation of the ash. Inasmuch as in the present construction the friction'element is de signed to lie squarely over the mouth of the pail, and to therefore revolve in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof, it will be apparent that the angles of inclination of the element and the pail are mutually] interdependel'it, the one being controlled by the other. In practice I have upward to open position on the ed found that the best results may be obtained ma substantially vertical'upright position throughout the entire mount ng operation and until the sifting element is" securely locked thereon, and it is one of the features of this invention to provide hniging and supporting means for the lid, whichwhile permitting it to be lifted oil' and'bodily removed from the can, at the same time render it capable of engagement with the edge of the can so that it may be turned upwardly and outwardly thereover and may be supportedthereon in a suitable position to permit the vertical introduction of the pail into the hood. In my copending appli cation for Letters Patent, Serial Number 416,254, filed ()ctober 11th, 1920, I show and claim a'devioe for the accomplishment of a somewhat analogous purpose in conection with an ash sitting device, the same consisting of a memberin the form of a hookot special shape; andin the present invention 1 preferably employ ifor this purpose a hook member of thesame general type as that therein described, differing therefrom only in details of construction. As shown, this hook member is formed as anintegral part of'the bracket 18, the bill 36 thereof being adapted to extend into the mouth of the can adjacent the marginal edge thereof'when the lid is in closed position on the can. In

conjunction with the hook member proper an arm 37 is provided, here shown as lying over the upper face of the adjacent periphera'l portion of the lid and extending outwardly to the flange 13, which is adapted to impinge against the outer i ac'e of the can and act as stop to limit the outward movement of the lid when the'latter is swung can. The shank of the 11001135 is transversely extended adjacent the bight thereof to provide a relatively wide bearing and purchase therefor over the edge of the can.

for the purpose of obviating. the tendency of the lid when in open positionto rotate sidewise anddrop of? of the can, and the arm 37 is made of sufiicient' strength and is so formed and disposed with relation to the bifght of the hook as to securelysupp'ort the lid in such an op'enposltl-on on the edge of the can as wlll permit the introduction of the pail in the lid in 'therequisite vertical go of the llO manner. It will be observed that when the lid is in such open position on the can, the body thereof lies in a plane at substantially the same angle to the plane of the mouth of the can as that occupied l the axis of the pail with respect to said plane when the lid is in closed position, whichan 'le as previously stated is in the present instance substantially for y-five degrees; and it will further be seen that at this angle of the lid, the arm bea 'ing the sifting element 16 and link 30 may be swung upwardly and outwardly to a sufficient extent over the hinge 22 to enable said parts to be retained in their remote position by their own weight, tiius permitting free and unobstructed access to the hood for placing the pail therein.

In operation, the pail, being portable, is filled with ashes from a stove or furnace and carried to the ash can. The lid of the can is then grasped by the handle 38 and turned back on the hinge member over the edge of the can to open position, and the arm 24 with the sifting element thereon is swung back out of the hood The pail is then taken up by the bail and lifted into the hood, being placed in upright position on the friction block 19, where itwill rest without further support. lhe arm 2% is now swung downwardly over the pail until the sifting element enters the month thereof with the fingers 28 engaging over the edge of the mouth when the arm is further pressed down a slight distance against the action of the spring a3 and the link 30 sprung into locking engagement with the hook 32. The lid with the pail thus completely mounted therein is now swung down over the mouth of the can, and the crank e2 turned to sift the ashes, rotary movement being imparted to the pail through the friction block 19, and transmitted from the pail to the sifting element through the fingers 28. After the ashes have been sifted, the apparatus is left to stand undisturbed for asufiicient period to enable the dust to become thoroughly settled in the can, when the lid is again opened and the pail with the reclaimed Cinders therein removed.

In experimenting with this sifting device I have found that it is possible to use rotary sifting elements of a variety of different forms and shapes, some of which are attended with peculiar advantages in connection with special embodiments, and I have therefore shown several of these in the drawings as modifications of the preferred form herein described, the same, as well as all other equivalents, being embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

The modification shown in figure 6 represents a cone shaped sifting element adapted to lie completely over the mouth of the pail, having depending fingers 39 to retain it in operative position thereon, and that shown in Figure 7 represents a sifting element of con cave-convex form. Both of these forms have the advantage of permitting the pail to be heaped with ashes to its fullest possible extent, though they are more expensive to manufacture and occupy more space in the lid and can than the flat' type of element herein stated as preferred.

I may also state that I have found that the thorough and rapid cleansing of the cinders may be facilitated by preserving a slight or restricted space between the mouth of the pail and the periphery of the sifting element through which part of the consumed portion of the ash may pass, so that the sifting or separating process may take place, as well immediately adjacent the inside face of the walls of the pail as at intermediate points in the mouth thereof, and I therefore, preferably adopt this construction in the present embodiment. I have also discovered that even an imperforate sifting element may be employed to good efiect providing suitable space is allowed between the periphery thereof and the mouth of the pail, and while I'have not shown such imperforate element, I suggest the same as an equivalent, and further suggest that the periphery of such element may be either circular in out-line, or may contain indentations of various shapes. I

An advantage attending the present form of ash sifter which should be noted, lies in the fact that the sifting element together with the arm on which it is mounted and the locking link, can be readily folded together into the body of the hood, and the entire apparatus thus be compactly cased for storing and shipping, the lid with the parts thus folded in being shown in Figure 3.

Having fully described my invention, I claim 1- 1. In a sifting device, a rotatably mounted disk like sifting element adapted to be disposed for rotation in a plane at asufficient inclination to enable the material to be sifted to run downwardly thereon, a material container in the form of a pail, and means for rotatably mounting said container in partially inverted position over and above said element.

2. In a sifting device, a rotatably mounted disk like sifting elementadapted to be dis posed for rotation in a plane at a sufficient inclination to enable siftable material to run downwardly over the face thereof, a container in the form of a pail, and means for mounting said container for rotation over and above said element on an axis substantially coinciding with the axis of said element.

' 3. In an ash sifting device, a pail, a rotatably mounted sifting element adapted to cover the mouth of the pail, and means for mounting and rotating the pail with the element in closed relation thereon at an axial inclination sufficient to enable siftable material therein to run downward by gravity over the inner face of the element,

4. The combination with an ash can, of a lid for covering the can, a. disk like sifting element carried by the lid, a pail, and means for mounting the pail on the lower side of the lid for Cooperative rotary sifting action with said element. i

5. In an ash sifting device, the combination of an ash can, a lid for covering the month of the can, a pail, means for rotatably mounting the pail within'the lid, and a disk like sifting element adapted to be retatably interposed betweenthe mouth of the pail and the mouthof the can. I

6. In an ash sifting device, a pail, and means for detachably and'rotatably mounting the pail, said means including a rotary disk like sievlng element for adyustment over I the mouth of the pail.

7. In an ash sifting device, the combination of an ash containing receptacle in the form of a pail having a flat bottom, and means for detachably mounting and axially rotating the receptacle in co-operative rela tion with a sifting element to sift the ashes therein, said means including a rotatably to sift the ashes therein, said means including two rotatably mounted members appli-' cable respectively to the bottom and the 7 month of the receptacle, the member applicable to the bottom of the receptacle being designed for imparting rotary movement thereto, and the member applicable to the mouth thereof being designed for sifting" the ashes therein. v

9. In an ash sifting devlce, the combination with a removable lid for an ash can,

of an ash containing receptacle in the form of a pail, and means associated with the lid for detachably mounting and axially rot-ating the receptacle under the lid to sift the ashes therein, said means comprising a roe tatable member gournaled through one side 7 of the lid and adapted to be externally rotated and to be internally applied to the bottom of the receptacle for impartingro-d tary movement to the. latter, an arm hinged internally to the lid opposite said member for swinging movement toward and from said membcr,a disklike foraminous sifting element rotatably mounted on said arm and adapted for clamping engagement over the month of the receptacle when said arm is swung toward said member, and means for detachably locking said arm n fixed relation tosaid member.

10. In an ash sifting device, thecembination with a removable lid for an ash can, of

an ash containing receptacle in the form of a pail, and meansassociated with the lid for detachably mounting and axially rotating the receptacle under the lid to sift the ashes therein, said meanscomprising a bracket secured to one side of the lid, a shaft rotatable externally of the lid journaled in said bracket andpassing through the walls of the lid,

a memberadapted for frictional contact and supporting engagement with the bottom of the pail secured'to the inner end of said shaft, an arm pivoted to the lid opposite said member for swinging movement toward and from the latter, a disklike foraminous sifting element rotatably mounted on said arm and adapted for supporting and closing engagement over the mouth of the receptacle when said arm is swung toward said member, and a resilient locking member on the free end of said arm adapted for cooperation with a corresponding locking member on the side of the lid adjacent said shaft for yieldingly maintaining the element in fixed clamping engagement over the mouth of the receptacle,

11. In an ash sifting device, the combination with an ash can and alremovable lid for covering and sealing the mouth of the can, of means associated with "the lid for removahly mounting an ash containing receptacle thereunder for rotation on an axis at an angle to the plane of the lid, and a hinge member secured to the lid andadapted for engagement over the edge of the can to enable the lid to be turned over the edge to open position with respect to the can and to be supported. and maintained thereon at an appropriate angle" to permit the insertion and adjustment of the receptacle in a substantially, vertical upright position in said mounting means. i I

In testimony whereof, I aifix mysignature.

FRANK H. LEHMAN. 

